+p and +p+ cases

[bucktooth7]

I was wondering can a normal 9mm case be loaded to +p or +p+ . My manual is quite vague on this the case dimensions appear to be the same. Give me your opinion.

[XDRoX]

I was wondering can a normal 9mm case be loaded to +p or +p+ . My manual is quite vague on this the case dimensions appear to be the same. Give me your opinion.

I have never seen a +p stamped 9mm case, so I'm guessing that they don't exist. If you are going to be loading to high pressures I would use new cases to be safe.

I also don't believe that there is any difference in a 38spl and a 38spl +p case except for the headstamp.

[checkenbach]

Starline Brass in .38 Special is identical to their .38+P other than the headstamp, their brass is built a bit sturdier than others according to their website, I don't know about other mfg'ers.

[Cowboy T]

The brass itself doesn't really matter that much. It's just acting as a gasket to keep the gases from blowing backwards. What matters here is the strength of your chamber. If you're firing 9mm +P+ loads in a firearm not rated to do so, you risk a KABOOM!

Here's an example using .38 Special cases, which I load a whole lot of. At one point when .357 Magnum brass was near impossible to get (still ain't easy), I used yellow brass .38 Spl cases--the regular ones, not +P or +P+--for what I call my "Elmer Keith" load. This load approaches .357 Magnum power--definitely way beyond "+P+". I did this a lot with no ill effects to the gun (a .357 Magnum revolver, S&W Highway Patrolman) or the brass. Matter of fact, I'm still using that batch of brass, no failures yet.

Nowadays, I use .38 Spl +P and +P+ cases for this hot load, since they're once again plentiful and tell me at a glance that I'm using my "Keith" load. The regular .38 Special cases are now relegated back to my "powder-puff" load.

[bucktooth7]

Please tell me the recipe for the "Elmer Kieth" load. I to roll a bunch of .38 and .357. I never push the pressure limits for either or for 9mm for that matter. I am interested though about high pressure loads as you have discribed. I like to compare different loads that the mainstream manuals do not include. I have a g17 and a ruger SP101 as well as a taurus 66. All .357 except for the g17 (9mm) I only shoot at the range so super high pressure is of little use . But it is interesting to see what others are doing .

[Spyduh]

I have never seen a +p stamped 9mm case, so I'm guessing that they don't exist. If you are going to be loading to high pressures I would use new cases to be safe.

I also don't believe that there is any difference in a 38spl and a 38spl +p case except for the headstamp.

Speer factory 9mm Gold Dots are +p cases

[XDRoX]

Please tell me the recipe for the "Elmer Kieth" load. I to roll a bunch of .38 and .357. I never push the pressure limits for either or for 9mm for that matter. I am interested though about high pressure loads as you have discribed. I like to compare different loads that the mainstream manuals do not include. I have a g17 and a ruger SP101 as well as a taurus 66. All .357 except for the g17 (9mm) I only shoot at the range so super high pressure is of little use . But it is interesting to see what others are doing .

You may want to check out Brian Enos .com. Those guys over there are pushing 9mm major to some ridiculous speeds.

[Spyduh]

Please tell me the recipe for the "Elmer Kieth" load. I to roll a bunch of .38 and .357. I never push the pressure limits for either or for 9mm for that matter. I am interested though about high pressure loads as you have discribed. I like to compare different loads that the mainstream manuals do not include. I have a g17 and a ruger SP101 as well as a taurus 66. All .357 except for the g17 (9mm) I only shoot at the range so super high pressure is of little use . But it is interesting to see what others are doing .

Rule of thumb 10% less than what his load data is and work up the load using a chrono. That load works in his gun may not work in your gun. It may be well over pressure and cause a KB in yours.

[XDRoX]

Speer factory 9mm Gold Dots are +p cases

Never shot those so that makes sense. You do agree however though that there is no difference in the cases right?

[XDRoX]

Rule of thumb 10% less than what his load data is and work up the load using a chrono. That load works in his gun may not work in your gun. It may be well over pressure and cause a KB in yours.

Good advice, but FWIT a G17 is a solid gun and can be pushed really hard. I know people that shoot 9mm major out of a G17.

[Spyduh]

Never shot those so that makes sense. You do agree however though that there is no difference in the cases right?

I really don't care what case I use for pistol brass. I use it till it splits and load max or min.

However I usually load on the light side, since it's easier on the gun and my hand. Plus as most reloaders know it's more accurate with a lighter load than a max load and makes it quicker for follow up shots. It doesn't do any good if you load MAX and have a 5" spread where you load on the light side and get 0.25 MOA.


The only cases I track life span is rifle brass. Commercial vs Mil makes a whole lot of difference with rifle brass.

[XDRoX]

I really don't care what case I use for pistol brass. I use it till it splits and load max or min.

However I usually load on the light side, since it's easier on the gun and my hand. Plus as most reloaders know it's more accurate with a lighter load than a max load and makes it quicker for follow up shots. It doesn't do any good if you load MAX and have a 5" spread where you load on the light side and get 0.25 MOA.


The only cases I track life span is rifle brass. Commercial vs Mil makes a whole lot of difference with rifle brass.

Good to know. I don't reload rifle yet. I also load light and shoot it 'til it splits. It's amazing how much more accurate I am with lighter loads. Maybe I'm just a wimp

[Spyduh]

Good to know. I don't reload rifle yet. I also load light and shoot it 'til it splits. It's amazing how much more accurate I am with lighter loads. Maybe I'm just a wimp

It's proven by many that lighter loads = more accurate. You can find ten thousand or more posts on lighter loads = more accurate.

I've actually loaded 44mag 27.0gr W296. Range brass and unknown reload count life. But I've kept track and I've reloaded that batch of brass around 9x now and no splits.

It's a bad *** load too. I can only handle 4 shots in my DEagle and S&W 626 4". It's a wrist hurting load!